Gladget Magazine January 2013 by Gladget Magazine

In a Daze

Mass hysteria and the World Wide Web

Newtendo

The Wii U has arrived in South Africa...

R e vie w s inc luding R azer, M SI, Tos hiba, Belkin, S t eelS eries and mor e. . .

Crystal Balls...

What to expect from the bad guys in 2013

Superpower! Asusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tytan sets the standard

I S S U E 2 7 / Vo l . 3 January 2013

www.gladgetmag.com

Free Online Mag

www.gameccamag.com Taking fun seriously!

I S S U E 4 3 / Vo l . 4 Januar y 2013

w w w. g a m e c c a m ag . c o m

ZombiU LEGO Lord of the Rings Super Mario Bros U Nintendo Land Rabbids Land and more...

Wii U Frenzy!

Ten launch titles reviewed!

Reinventing the Classics Devil May Cry gets a facelift...

Free Online Mag

Inside 6 From the Editor

8 Did You Know?

More interesting tidbits from the world of tech 10 Tshabablabber

Tne next generation 12 Of Crystal Balls and Padlocks

Which ecurity threats will dominate 2013? 14 The End of Daze

Crackpots and internet hysteria 18 Make a List

Apps to survive a post-apocalyptic world... 20 Lookng Back: 1993

Hubble, hubble, mirror trouble 22 Reviews

Tech stuff you need to get your hands on 48 New Nintendo

What’s all the fuss with the Wii U? 70 DVD Seen

This Month’s Cover Asus’ Tytan spares nothing in delivering great gaming... Read our review on page 24.

Movies: good, bad and ugly...

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Reviews

Asus ROG Tytan CG8890

MSI GT640 Graphics Card

Toshiba Satellite C850-F21C Notebook

Razer Carcharias Headset

Belkin Smart TV Link 4 Port Router

MSI R6670 MD1GD3 Graphics Card

SteelSeries Sensei Raw Gaming Mouse

Razer Anansi MMO Gaming Keyboard

MSI R7770 PMD1GD5 Graphics Card

Writers: Alex Scanlon Andy Taliadoros Charlie Fripp Iwan Pienaar Lein Baart Pippa Tshabalala Rob Edwards Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius

Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4525 DNF Printer

Letters: letters@gladgetmag.com

Belkin Pleated Sleeve for Kindle

Competition Entries: competitions@gladgetmag.com

Razer Vespula Dual Sided Gaming Mouse Mat

Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gladgetmag.com

ZombiU (Wii U)

Design & Photography: 1337 Media

Rabbids Land (Wii U)

Assassins Creed III (Wii U)

New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U)

Mass Effect 3: Special Edition (Wii U)

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Wii U)

GLADGET Volume 3 Issue 27 January 2013

Editor: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

Marketing Contact: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

technology. simply. All rights reserved. No content may be reproduced, copied or transmitted without the express permission of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers. All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks are the sole property of the respective owners.

Gladget is published by 1337 MEDIA

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Blindfaith M

From the Editor

ob mentality is a very real part of our existence, where we can all be subtly brainwashed into following a “norm”. We can all, at one point in our lives, be guilty of this, as it is part of human nature to react to this insane, misguided level of human instinct. Still, one has to question what makes the blind follow the blind so willingly, to the point that we have such a socially destructive and abusive reaction to our environment: emotionally, mentally, psychologically and, to a large degree, physically. It amazes me that blind faith, leading to mob mentality on a mass scale, abusing an incredibly remarkable system like social media, sent some people into a state of frenzy… believing that it was the end of the world. Are we truly so naïve that we cannot rely on our own strength of character, that we believe everything we read without question? Ladies and gentleman, the word apocalypse is Greek for discover, uncover, realise, resolve… One has to admit: observing most reactions to mass psychology is for the most part intriguing, as well as sadly humorous.

It is sad that a simple philosophy of “ending the world” cannot be perceived as the ability of your own personal realisations towards discovery and resolution. Ending of your own inner world as you know it, arriving at a stronger realisation of your own reality can also be a legitimate explanation… could it not? It has been said that, in life, if you are not part of the tribe you are against it, and if you are against it, you are most certainly rejected by it. An individual thinker respects their environment, without relying on the environment to determine how to react, think or feel. This is not a new philosophy, as human nature is and always will be human nature. What is different in our century are the tools in which human behaviour is expressed. I have often felt that technology is a tool that should be respected for the use of giving us the ability to improve our lives; unfortunately, as Newton so eloquently stated, “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Technology, or the use of it, is no exception. Technology, as useful as it can be, can also become abused when adding human nature to the mix. And

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by Katia Taliadoros

in the case of 21-12-2012, social media (as a tool) became abusively annoying! By adding human nature and blind faith to this phenomenal technological tool we call social media we also have the one thing that most certainly fuels the reaction of anything sensational –anonymity! Reacting to challenges face to face is very different from reacting to circumstances anonymously, from behind a computer. Our digital mask, that hides who we really are and erases responsibility, becomes cowardly, weakened by losing its true value. In the true meaning of the word apocalypse, the time for uncovering, discovery and resolution is always a part of character building within our own personal world. Questioning is a bridge from instincts to trust and when we trust ourselves we are on a clear road to individuality. Individuality is not afraid of responsibility, and responsibility for our own actions leads to an environment that does not have control over our personal world. On that note, I would like to wish you all an intriguing 2013, filled with creative discovery and determined resolve... g

DID YOU

KNOW? 1

…that your name is for sale? People are always trying to make a quick buck, an one man has found a way to do just that. Jason Sadler was a little strapped for cash, so what did he do to make some fast money? Well, he sold his last name of course. Sadler decided that he needed to change his last name (for various reasons) and concocted the idea to sell off his last name to the highest bidder. He was lucky enough (or unlucky) to have 11 people bid on him, with the winner paying $45,000 for his to legally change his last name to Headsets.com. So for an entire year, he will be legally known as Jason Headsets.com

…that LimeWire was once sued for $75 trillion? In the heydays of Peer-to-Peer sharing and almost unbridled sharing of music files without serious repercussions, LimeWire and Napster were at the forefront of the illegal downloads. While the court case against Napster brought on by rockers Metallica was widely publicised, another court case was on-going which didn’t spark that much interest. Peer-to-Peer sharing company LimeWire was locked in a court battle (similar to Napster) about sharing music files, brought on by the record companies. The companies argued that LimeWire should pay for every file that was shared, which amounted to a requested settlement figure of $75 trillion. The court eventually decided that the amount was ridiculous, and order LimeWire to pay $105 million in damages.

Regular

…that Google Earth was funded by the CIA? Everybody loves to use Google’s real-time mapping service Google Earth – whether it be for checking an address or just seeing what the pyramids look like up close. But what few people know is that Google Earth originally partly funded by the US’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Originally called EarthViewer 3D, the virtual globe was created by Keyhole, a CIA-funded company acquired by Google in 2004. There is no telling what the CIA would have done with the technology if Google didn’t snatch up Keyhole, but one thing is for sure – users won’t have been able to see what their own house looks like from the beady eye of a satellite image.

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More fun facts from the world of tech, with some holiday gaming flavour... by Charlie Fripp

…that Nickelback almost had a Rock Band game? Canadian rockers Nickelback have a love-hate relationship with the music industry and rock lovers. While some fans absolutely adore them, there are the music aficionados who would do anything to see them split up and never release another album. Well, video game developer Harmonix knew this, and what better way to deflect attention from a new product than to name it after the group. When Harmonix was developing the Rock Band Network (an online portal where users can download and buy songs for the Rock Band franchise, as well as code their own songs for the service), they codenamed the project Rock Band Nickelback. Clearly it worked, as nobody leaked any information about the Rock Band Network, and we never heard of a Rock Band Nickelback game ever again.

…a kid is actually called Hashtag? We have all heard the stories, and especially here in South Africa it is rather prevalent to name a child Computer, iPod or even email. But one family took it a step further by showing their love for microblogging site Twitter – by legally naming their child Hashtag. ““Hashtag Jameson was born at 10 o’clock last nite. She weys 8pounds and i luv her so much!!!!!!” the couple wrote on their Twitter profile – the spelling and the grammatical errors in the post should say it all. But they are not the only ones to have found inspiration from the internet. In 2011, an Egyptian man named his daughter Facebook because of the role the site played at the start of the Arab Spring.

…that Google is named after a number? The famous search website Google got its name from the word googol, which refers to a number that is 10 to a factor of 100. That’s 1 followed by 100 zeroes. The word googol was originally coined by the nineyear-old nephew of mathematician Edward Kasner in 1938. Kasner popularised the concept in his 1940 book Mathematics and the Imagination. For the truly mathematically minded out there, a googol is also called ten duotrigintillion (on the short scale) and ten thousand sexdecillion (on the long scale.) Perhaps Google were unwittingly predicting the popularity of their initial service when they chose the name – which has become synonymous with internet searching. g

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Apocalypse A

Tshabablabber

s we fast approach 2013, I contemplate the end of the world. I’m writing this on the day of the Apocalypse, so if by some fluke the doomsayers are correct, we won’t be alive for much longer and you won’t read this in the next issue of Gladget anyway. Nevertheless, I muse on the fact that I would very much like to be alive for a few more years, even if to see my son roll his eyes at me at some point because I’m vaguely confused by the new Samsung Holographic Galaxy S XX. I know I’ve mentioned this technology gap before, but I’m suddenly reminded of how old I thought my parents were when I was young. I’m the youngest of three and there’s almost a ten year gap between me and my sisters so I guess in some respects my parents were a little older than others, but as a child you assume that age demonstrates technological familiarity. For example, while I adapted very easily to using a computer as a child I never stopped to think that my parents (my father in particular never learned to use a computer) were no more familiar with this

Author’s photograph by Adrian Louw

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new technology than I was. Perhaps it has something to do with the ability of children to learn and adapt easily, whether it be spoken language or code. I know as I get older I find my ability to absorb new information requires more of a concentrated effort on my part than it used to, and the thought of teaching myself to code now makes me feel vaguely panicky. The fact that when I was a child I could sit for hours fiddling around in the bowels of DOS leaves me feeling bewildered at my lack of fear. For this is exactly why children learn so quickly and easily. Lack of fear. They boldly go where they haven’t been before, and some even where no man (or woman) has been before. They do things like delete the command prompt (yes, I’ve done it) and simply say, “Oops. Sorry.” Does this hinder them as they approach the computer a second time? No, it’s merely an indication of what not to do the next time around (which as an aside I managed to do on multiple occasions much to my mother’s dismay). The point is that we learn to both rely on and fear technology as

Pippa Tshabalala

we get older. There are many of us not directly involved in the “fixing computers business” who have a certain amount of knowledge when it comes to approaching a piece of technology that needs repair, but for many when their beloved (insert appropriate piece of tech here) goes haywire, panic sets in. “My life is on this machine!” they cry. “Did you back it up?” you ask. Most people only ever make this mistake once. Then there are the people for whom the fear barrier is a little further away. There is another step, which means restarting computers in safe mode, doing things like System Restore and the like, but at some point we must admit defeat and call a professional. The difference is that as a child this point of defeat was a small pinpoint in the distance that only grew larger when we realised our parents were going to need to be told. Fear. This is the game changer as we get older. For this is indeed the end of the world as we know it, the Apocalypse of the current generation. And the dawn of our children’s era. And so the cycle continues. g

&Padl

by Iwan Pienaar

Of crystal balls

Feature

The obligatory trend-spotting article

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locks I

t’s that time of year when people become armchair fortune-tellers and predict what the next 12 months will likely bring in technology. When it comes to security, the task is a bit easier. Security is one of those things that will always stay relevant and must remain at the forefront of our minds when it comes to everything we do in the digital age. So beyond stating that we need to have the correct security software installed on our devices, what can we expect in terms of threats for the next year?

The cloud and mobile

Yes, you guessed it. Malicious users will target the cloud (think Gmail and Dropbox), social networks (Facebook, Twitter), and our love of using phones and tablets for pretty much everything we do online. Many of these threats will replicate tactics of yore (hey, we just finished the Yule time) to steal information

from our social network profiles and mobile devices. As retail stores start using such fancy things as NFC (instead of swiping your credit card, you swipe your phone), mobile wallets, and virtual currency, our mobile devices become a veritable treasure trove of information that is just waiting to be exploited if left unsecure.

Terrorism goes online

Well, actually it has been online for quite some time. This year will see cyber-terrorism expand from groups of hackers to governments and companies targeting one another more directly to get valuable information that could mean the difference between war and peace (in extreme cases), profits and losses (on a business level), and identity theft (on a more personal basis). We can also expect more attacks on individuals and non-government organisations, such as supporters of political issues and members

of minority groups in conflict. This type of targeting is currently seen when hacktivist groups are aggravated by an individual or company.

Out for ransom

We touched on ransomware in the previous issue but this is likely to grow in leaps and bounds this year. Cybercriminals are using online payment methods to ‘blackmail’ people out of their hard-earned cash. This is not likely to go away any time soon with hackers using more professional ways to exploit people. It’s a mad world The buzzword of the moment seems to be madware (mobile adware). These ads can potentially expose your location details, contact information, and other valuable information to cybercriminals. Often, these madware changes your browser settings to make it less secure and gathers your personal information. A study has found that in the past nine

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months, the number of apps including the most aggressive forms of madware has increased by 210 percent.

Show me the money

Finally, as we place even more trust (foolish us) in social media, we start spending more money on game credits, gift items to friends, and such like that our favourite social networks start giving us even more options to spend money with them. This paves the way for malicious users to try and exploit our trust and get our credit card information through all sorts of seedy tactics. These are just a few of the top trends we expect to be hot on the security beat in 2013. Always remain vigilant and ensure that your software is updated with all the latest patches and that your security definitions have been updated as well. Keep common sense in mind when it comes to your online surfing habits. Here’s to a safe 2013 for us in the digital world.. g

by Suvesh Arumugam

The End Online mob mentality

Feature

his December was a very interesting month in the blogosphere of internet rumours and wild web speculation, something which always rises when rumours and misguided ‘prophecies’ drive the general populace into a frenzy. Firstly, we hit 12 minutes past twelve (and twelve seconds) on the 12th of December 2012. While a very small minority of conspiracy nuts made ill-informed doomsday predictions, in general this was a huge day in the Asian community. In some cultures, particularly Chinese, the number 12 represents harmony. Possibly referencing the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, a convergence of 12s like this only happens once every 1,000 years. To celebrate, hundreds of thousands of Chinese couples planned their weddings to coincide

with the “event” – with unprecedented number of weddings happening simultaneously in China, Hong Kong and around the world. What the dyslexic doomsday predictions were actually referring to (nine days early) is the Mayan Calendar prediction for the end of the world, which has been tweeted, blogged and liked in the millions over the last month. The Mayans were keen astrologers and accurately forecast the passage of time on their Long Count Calendar, thousands of years after their civilisation ceased to exist. However their calendar ends on the 21st of December 2012 is the very last day they predicted of the 13th Age (or Baktun), with each preceding age consisting of 144,000 days (roughly 394 years, different

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of Daze

from the more common concept of the 1000 year age or aeon). 13 was considered a sacred number by the Mayans, believed to be the basis structure of nature, which may explain them not calculating beyond the 13th age. So far, scientifically speaking, there doesn’t seem to be any conclusive evidence or theory showing that this was a Doomsday prediction. This has not deterred conspiracy theorists though, and as the 21st of December drew nearer, the conjecture around the end of the world got more wild and colourful. In Bugarach, France, residents believed that the mountain village (population 176) was the only place in the world that would survive the apocalypse. If you asked yourself how anyone could predict who would survive without

actually knowing what the nature of the Earth destroying event would be, give yourself a tick on your “Am I Sane?” checklist. However, the answer is simple – Aliens. The townsfolk, and the people flocking to the village, believe that aliens who reside in the mountain would pluck unsuspecting humans out of harm’s way, to the safety of their “spaceship garage” inside the mountain. While it may sound nutty, accommodation in the town was being flogged on the internet for upwards of $1,600 per night, which you could conveniently view online and book. Clever townspeople, though they must be the few who didn’t believe the rumours and planned to be around to spend the money. The more serious, and less fruity, theories revolved

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Feature

around meteors crashing into Earth, creating a similar effect to the event that many believe wiped out the dinosaurs. With the equivalent impact of a massive nuclear device, the initial shockwave from the impact would destroy all life and structures in its wake, while EMP and radiation would make the surface of most of the planet unliveable. Or so the rumours went. Truth is NASA received thousands of emails to this effect, with various permutations and “evidence” to support this, and their answer was this – “The world will not end on December 21, 2012, or any day in 2012”. The space authority has no evidence whatsoever of any potential cosmic object or collision, and have actually released several online videos and information on their website debunking these

theories, including that there is a hidden planet behind the sun, which could have caused the impact. Another theory is that a rare planetary alignment would cause a three day blackout all over the world, which NASA also dismissed. Perhaps the biggest impact of the day was the annoying amount of Facebook and Twitter traffic making fun of the “Apocalypse No-Show”. So if wasn’t going to be aliens or misdirected comets, could the world really end? Well, there are several nonMayan theorists who still believed that 2012 is the last year for us humans. Self-proclaimed prophet Ronald Weinland has stated that the world would end in 2012. Of course that was May 2012. And this was a revised date,

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as fate stood him up for his previous Armageddon date on 29 September 2011. However, seeing as when Ronald is not busy making end of the world predictions, he somehow managed to be convicted of several counts of financial fraud, perhaps he is not a reliable source of information. Many online theorists quote the famous French seer Michel de Nostradamus as confirming the December 2012 end of the world date. Truth is that the “man who saw tomorrow” never mentioned 2012 or the end of the world specifically in any of his writing. He did however mention fire from the skies and a “king of terror”, which some took to mean the end of the world – problem is that it was meant to happen in 1999. Now that we’ve made it past 21/12/2012, we’ll have

at least until 2018 to 2020 before the next “reputable” Armageddon prediction (and the barrage of websites, emails and social media they will inspire). That’s a good few years to build a decent bomb shelter and start stocking up on energy drinks and corned beef. However, if you start thinking that since these predictions have been going to since around 600BC, and they still seem have a 0% accuracy rate, maybe you could spend that time a little more constructively, like reading that Swedish trilogy you’ve been meaning to get round to, or setting a high score on Mario Bros. On the other hand, if you’re pretty sure it’s all gonna be over in just a matter of days, maybe not a bad time to max out your credit and book yourself into the penthouse suite so you can go out in style. g

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Make A List

Feature

The Top 5 Apps For a Post-Apocalyptic World

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by Pippa Tshabalala

ight, so assuming that the world as we know it ends but there is still enough left of civilisation to allow for things like cell phones and the like (completely logical of course), what would my Top 5 apps for the Post-Apocalyptic world be and why? Because you know, I’m asked this sort of question all the time. Which apps would be the most useful in a disaster situation? First up, I don’t want to have to go to the bank for stuff, assuming that there isn’t a financial collapse when the world ends and Wesbank is still making me pay off my car, I want to be able to do it without leaving the place I’m holed up in, to avoid the zombies. Or radiation monsters. Whatever. Either way a banking app for my cell phone is paramount as the only thing worse than zombies are bank tellers and, while I’m with FNB, other banks also offer similar apps. I’ve also only recently switched to FNB and I must admit their banking app is streets ahead of any others I’ve used. Simple, easy and quick – all the things you need in a PostApocalyptic world. Next, communication is key to silently coordinate things like attacks, or scavenging for food. A personal messaging system is therefore the next thing you need. Why messaging as opposed to email? Well apart from the fact that it’s more immediate, I receive so much spam mail that I don’t think it will really matter too much if I don’t have access to my email. Everyone I need to get hold of I can do so with a messaging app. I favour WhatsApp myself, but is this the only option

available? Would Facebook Messenger for example be better? Hmm, perhaps not. If the Apocalypse is a digital one and people hack into our Facebook accounts to steal our identities, the world would be brought to a standstill as billions of people are left not knowing who they are or what their friends have on their minds. WhatsApp it is then, just make sure you’re not on a Nokia. Twitter or at least some kind of tweeting app like Hoot Suite or Tweetdeck would be absolutely necessary, because you know the Apocalyptic tidings would have broken on Twitter first, albeit probably in shorthand. Even in the case of a Zombie Apocalypse there would still be that guy tweeting. I’m personally quite partial to the Android Twitter app. I’ve tried a few out and this one still gives me all the features I need. “RT @RandomGuy Just saw zombies! Great makeup lol! Wait no aaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhhh!” Of course I’m just using zombies as an example because I’m a gamer and if game devs can be believed then this seems like the logical conclusion, but feel free to insert another suitable scenario if you so choose. While these to me are the Top 3 apps on this list, I’m a little undecided about the rest. Do I go with a game to provide entertainment and distraction from the fact that the world is collapsing around me, or do I keep a photography app handy so I can Instagram the demise of society? Is it strictly necessary to have the theme tune to Skyrim as my ringtone, or the best cell phone keyboard out there?

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I guess since I do compulsively take photos, a photography app is absolutely essential to document the collapse of civilisation, but if we don’t go with the trend of Instagram, then FX Camera is a rather good alternative with some great filters. Amaze your friends (if they’re not zombies) with your pictures of fiery oblivion that look like they were taken by a professional. Or at least someone pretending to be a professional. And lastly there are the games. Everyone needs a little entertainment, even when the world is ending. If I had to pick a game that can provide some distraction from impending doom that doesn’t involve flying birds of any kind, Triple Town would be my current choice. Initially it seems like a somewhat pointless game, as you place grass, bushes and trees on a map in groups of three, in an attempt to rebuild a civilisation hindered by hideous monstrosities such as… bears. It might seem a bit weird, but once you get the hang of it however, it becomes very addictive and the strategy is evident, as bears become tombstones which combine to become cathedrals (you see the logic in this right?) and of course it’s a great analogy for the literal rebuilding of civilisation. But without the bears. Well, maybe… All this becomes moot of course if civilisation collapses in such a manner that we can’t charge phones or draw money or access the internet, in which case do we revert back to things like a barter system for goods when money no longer means anything? I wonder if there’s an app for that… g

1993 Turning-points By Lein Baart

Looking Back

t seems that the world is never at peace. Almost from the start 1993 was a troubled year, with the Bombay Riots resulting in the deaths of over 900 people, while the U.S. launched nearly 40 missiles into Baghdad due to Iraq’s refusal to co-operate with UN weapon inspectors. This year saw the Waco Massacre and the bombing of the World Trade Centre (apparently events are cyclical), the IRA bombing of Warrington which killed two children, and the start of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Closer to home, amid the fear running rampant throughout the country, Chris Hani was assassinated and Oliver Tambo passed away, and with the elections looming the following year, South Africa was a powder keg that thankfully never exploded. Things were markedly different on the technological front. Indeed, 1993 saw some of modern computing’s greatest innovations; inventions that still survive today, albeit in very different forms. The first of these moments in history was the birth of the Cronus of

processors, the Pentium CPU. The successor to the much loved 486 computers, the original Pentium chip came in two flavours: the blindingly quick 60 MHZ lower-end version and the blisteringly fast 66 MHZ premium model, though in later years these speeds would be nearly quadrupled. The Pentium offered several vast improvements over the older 80486 chips, such as dual pipelines (called superscalar) and greatly improved floating point calculation speeds (important in mathematical calculations), however it was not without its flaws. The FDIV bug caused Intel to recall all its 60-100 MHZ processors while the f00f bug could allow any malevolent program to crash the system. Next was release of the father of the Windows NT operating systems, Windows NT 3.1. Designed specifically for business and server usage, NT 3.1 was intended to compete with Unix operating systems, and was Window’s first true 32-bit OS (ironically it was not Microsoft’s first, as they had co-designed the OS/2 in conjunction with IBM, which after a fall

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out between the two computing giants became one of Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest competitors). Despite the naming convention, NT was not in fact based on Windows 3.1, which had come to dominate the home desktop market, but was chosen for marketing and aesthetic reasons. NT had a wide range of capabilities, being built to run on various computers, support applications developed for other operating systems and have an overall higher level of security, networking and reliability. Yet despite these innovations, NT 3.1 failed to gain much support, mainly due to two reasons: at the time most applications were still 16-bit, which ran slowly on the OS, and the hardware requirements, namely a 486 processor with 16 MB of memory was considered quite high for the time. The legacy of NT 3.1 still continues to this day however, as from Windows XP all versions of Windows are NT based, meaning that chances are youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reading this from an NT system. 1993 also saw the Hubble Space Telescope finally put to major scientific use. Originally launched in 1990,

the Hubble Space Telescope had become something of an embarrassment to NASA, as a flaw in the primary mirror meant that that faint objects were rendered undetectable, and the image quality was overall substantially lower than expectations. The STS-61 mission was launched in December of 1993 to correct the issue, and was probably the most complicated space mission undertaken by NASA up to that time. A total of five spacewalks, a record number, were completed, and the second longest spacewalk for the time was set on the first walk at seven hours and fifty minutes. The mission goal was not to replace the mirror, as it was deemed impossible to do so while in orbit, but rather to adjust and replace the components around it with the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement system (COSTAR). Besides this critical components such as the solar arrays, on-board computers and gyroscopes all received attention, resulting in the Hubble Telescope actually performing better than its original design specification. g

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Reviews Highlights 24 Asus ROG Tytan CG8890 Gaming giant! 30 MSI GT640 Graphics Card A classic! 38 SteelSeries Sensei Raw Gaming Mouse Just what’s needed... 40 Razer Anansi MMO Gaming Keyboard All the buttons!

t’s a brand new year, and with it comes all kinds of excitement and expectation. With 2012 being such a great year for tech, it’s difficult not to get jittery at the prospect of 2013... For now, we have a handful of reviews for you to look at, including graphics cards, notebooks and some gaming peripherals. We also have a feature review on the recently released Nintendo Wii U. There is no doubt that there will be a lot to get excited about over the next twelve months and, as always, Gladget will be rght there with you… g

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Review

Your life can depend on it...

Asus ROG Tytan CG8890

Survival of

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f the

by Andy Taliadoros

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f you are reading this review, congratulations! You have survived the 21st of December 2012 and the apocalyptic prediction of our imminent destruction was just another in the many doomsday prophecy events that have plagued mankind for thousands of years. As sceptical as I am about doomsday prophecies, I still thought about its possibility and how one would prepare to live in a post apocalyptic world. As any diligent doomsday prepper would advise, one would need to acquire an underground bomb shelter, a water purification and recycling system, food preserves, fuel, solar panels, electrical generators, guns, ammunition and, something I have never seen on a doomsday list and which I think would be of paramount importance, entertainment! Yes, we would be safe in our bunker and we could survive down there for two years or more, but what would we do to keep our minds busy? Books would take up precious bunker space, playing cards would get tedious and learning to play a musical instrument in the close vicinity of others would either drive them crazy or get yourself murdered. Last week I found the answer to my entertainment conundrum... the Asus ROG (Republic Of Gamers) TYTAN CG8890 Desktop PC. Now, we could not only survive physically, but also have a really great chance at surviving relatively mentally unscathed! On this beautifully designed gaming machine I could store and read thousands of books, listen to music playlists that would take years to complete, watch movies, and, ladies and gentlemen, play games! If I was going to spend two years in an underground shelter I sure as hell would not settle for anything but the best equipment. Imagine your water purification system malfunctioning or your solar cells not charging because you bought cheap equipment. No, only the best will do and hence once again, the Asus ROG TYTAN CG8890 would be very close to the top of my doomsday prepper list, and here’s why: For starters this gaming rig is visually impressive to behold! It screams power and demands respect as its aerodynamic polygonal exterior physically transforms at a push of the aptly named “Speed” button. The sides and the top of the case

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Review

Asus ROG Tytan CG8890

mechanically slide open as if it’s about to take off, revealing 8 exterior crimson cooling fans with integrated air vents and two interior chassis fans. The “Speed” button’s primary function is not just to impress, but also allows gamers to overclock its 6-core Intel Core i7-3960X Processor without rebooting. Three system states can be accessed using the overclock function and the colour changes on the ROG logo at the front of the case are indicative of each state: blue for Startup mode running at 3.8 GHz and Red for both 4.0 GHz and 4.2 GHz clock speeds, also known respectively as Turbo Gear Mode and Turbo Gear Extreme Mode. In the front, the IO panel is host to a 16-in1 card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, 2 USB 3.0 ports, a microphone jack and a headphone jack. The rear panel packs one PS/2 port, two eSATA 6 Gb/s ports, one RJ45 port, four USB 3.0 ports, six USB 2.0 ports, a Clear CMOS button, an optical S/PDIF out, an 8-channel audio I/O, a Gigabit Ethernet LAN port, and a ROG Connect On/Off switch. The Tytan’s motherboard boasts an Intel X79 chipset. It has four PCI-E x16 ports and eight SATA ports, four of which are SATA3. Two of those SATA3 ports are primarily intended to be connected to eSATA connections on the case. As if the host of fans and air vents aren’t enough the Intel Core i7-3960X processor is also liquid-cooled, which delivers extremely efficient heat dissipation and stability from its overclocking capabilities. Graphically Asus have spared no expense on the Tytan and have introduced Nvidia’s flagship card along for the ride: the Nvidia GeForce GTX 690 4GB DDR5. This graphics card supports up to four monitors and is loaded with 3,072 Cuda cores. The outer frame is made from trivalent chromium-plated aluminum and thixomolded magnesium alloy around the fan for reduced vibration and additional cooling. The card also sports a dual vapor chamber and centermounted fan for even more cooling functionality. Nvidia also boasts that the cards performance from its dual-Kepler GPUs would equal the performance of two GTX 680s slung together in SLI. For storage space the Tytan comes packed with a Seagate 2 TB Hard disk drive and dual 128 GB SATA 3 SSDs in RAID 0, delivering four times greater data access speeds than generic HDDs. Memory provided is ample, with 16GB of DDR3 RAM, composed of four RAM slots each housing 4GB of 2.133MHz memory, which can be expanded to 32GB if so desired. The sound processing capabilities are also equally impressive and are handled by the ASUS Xonar Audio Card, DX powered by Dolby Home

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Review

Asus ROG Tytan CG8890

Theater technologies and delivering 35 times cleaner audio quality (116dB SNR) than onboard audio codecs. The PC has an 802.11n wireless adaptor expansion card, and although it only supports the 2.4GHz band, it is nice to have that option to connect your desktop wirelessly. The Tytan also comes with a hot-pluggable hard disk caddy that hooks up to one of the motherboard’s internal eSATA3 ports, as well as Blu-ray burner drive and a covered bracket in which you can fit another 3.5-inch disk. And all the above powered by a very capable 900-watt PSU. The ROG Tytan CG8890 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition pre-installed, and a bundled software package including Nero 9 Essentials, ArcSoft’s TotalMedia Theatre 3 and ASUS Suite II. As if all that wasn’t enough, the ROG Tytan CG8890 comes shipped with a cabled USB ROG keyboard and a ROG laser gaming mouse. The ROG keyboard, with its 50 million key press per key lifespan, can connect to the PS/2 port on the back of the PC, so you don’t have to necessarily use up a USB port. It even comes with bright orange replacement key caps you can use if you have trouble finding WASD gaming key functions. The GX900 ROG laser mouse features a 4000 dpi laser sensor with high precision tracking speed. Custom-built gamer UI, Customizable DPI and button functions, and you can adjust the mouse weight adding or removing individual 4.5g weights for optimizing gaming demands. With some of the best components and peripherals money can buy, this system makes a great contender at being the ultimate gaming PC and possibly the only thing you would need to check off your doomsday prepper list under the entertainment heading! g

Summary

Tech Specs:

Contesting the ultimate gaming PC throne.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Top-notch components Powerful Superb cooling

One touch overclocking i7-3960XCPU Intel X79 chipset GeForce GTX 690 4GB DDR5 graphics card. ASUS Xonar audio aard

A sus A sus www.a sus.c om TB C

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Have to rob a bank

Score

95 29

Good Be MSI GT640 Graphics Card

Sometimes you don’t need the latest toys…

I Review

n terms of graphics cards, bigger generally means better, both in terms of size and price. However, getting the biggest, best graphics card – complete with all the latest chipsets and technologies – isn’t always possible. In fact, with technology marching along as fast as it is, getting a slightly older chipset for your graphics card doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be left behind, or will be needing to upgrade sooner than you would like. It does depend, of course, on how old the technology you choose is; going to old might cause problems, but hitting the sweet spot could mean that you get a decent amount of bang for your buck. Realistically, an Nvidia GT640 chipset isn’t really old at all. Considering that all the true enthusiasts are going for later generation of the 6-series Nvidias, one might well think so. But a card like MSI’s GT640 should serve your needs perfectly… provided, of course, that

those needs aren’t extreme. The spec on this card is certainly not bad. It has the aforementioned 640 chipset, and also sports 2GB of DDR3 RAM. Sure, we see faster chipsets and faster RAM on more costly graphics cards, but the performance from this particular model was still solid enough to enable us to enjoy various graphics intensive applications, including gaming. It is still of the current generation, so only the most demanding software will likely give the card trouble. Naturally, this kind of high-end software tends to be gaming related. But there are tons of people who need a solid graphics option that may never play a game, or at least a graphically intense one. For them, this device makes even more sense. It chugs along rather nicely, kept cool by a single propeller-blade fan and a generous heat sink, all held together by an understated housing.

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by Walt Pretorius

In terms of physical size, it is a pretty small card, being a lot shorter than many of the very high-end models out there. This makes sense for keeping the entire system cool. It also comes with the kind of reliability that one would expect from MSI. While it might not have all those funky Military Grade components, it still features decent parts, including solid capacitors. And it manages to get the job done quietly and efficiently. In a world that seems unreasonably obsessed with having the biggest, fastest and newest technology all the time, it would seem that a card that uses slightly older tech doesn’t really have a place. But it is a more than viable option for those who want to save some cash, or who quite simply do not need the overwhelming power of the latest graphics devices. If you are one of those people, this is a decent option to consider. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

It might not be the latest Nvidia chipset, but it certainly is nothing to scoff at either.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Good performer Small card Good price

Nvidia 640 chipset 2GB DDR3 RAM Afterburner software 1 HDMI port 1 DVI port 1 D-Sub port 3D Blu-ray support

M SI Pinna c le A fric a www.pic c a nle.c o.za A pprox. R1 299

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Not the latest chipset

Score

80 31

Toshiba Satellite C850-F21C Notebook

Up and Do S

Review

ometimes you need something to be functional, rather than feature rich. Let’s be honest: all those extra features mean extra costs, and they are often things that never get used. But pragmatism doesn’t always win the day… people like to show off what they have. It’s amusing, really, seeing how many people have the latest, most many people have (as an example) the latest smartphones… and then only use them for their phone capabilities. But there is a line between practical and impractical that does come up here. It is a line defined on a case by case basis, with each and every person needing to find the definition of that mark on their own. And it is a line that Toshiba’s Satellite C850-F21C notebook may well find itself on either side of. The design of the notebook is good, although it

once again (as seems to be the case with most Toshiba notebooks) veers away from industry trends somewhat. Instead of the brushed metal finished elements that are so common these days, this device is constructed mainly out of tough, textured black plastic. It offers a full keyboard and an offset touch pad, the latter being made of the same textured plastic. The 15.6 inch display is clear, offering a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768. Under the hood, the C850 starts becoming something of a mixed bag. The 2.2GHz processor is not too bad at all, but its performance is hampered by the fact that the notebook only comes with 2GB of RAM as a standard. Additionally, the storage – at 320GB of HDD space – seems just a little too low for comfort. That said, these specs may serve certain users’ purposes well. It all depends on what they need the notebook for.

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Some great features, other not so great features…

own

In terms of ports, the C850 delivers more or less what is expected. Connectivity is via a LAN port, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth also built in. Two USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0 port are complimented by an D-SUB monitor output, an HDMI output and an HDMI port. A DVD RW optical drive and audio jacks are also present, as well as an integrated microphone and webcam. The C850, therefore, looks more or less like an average machine, although the HDD space and RAM are lower than we would like. The battery lasts for just over five hours on a full charge, which is not too shabby, and the whole package weighs in at just over 2kgs. When you add everything together, the C850 is not a bad performer at all. It just lacks a little in some areas that certain users would want more in. But as an everyday computing companion, it does the job. g

by Alex Scanlon

Summary

Tech Specs:

It’s a middle of the road notebook when all is said and done, but more RAM and a bigger hard drive would not have gone amiss. M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Performs well Sturdy

2.2GHz CPU 2GB RAM 320GB HDD 15.6 inch screen 1 USB 3.0 port 2 USB 2.0 ports

Toshiba Toshiba www.toshiba .c om TB C

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Some specs are a little low

Score

78 33

W Review

Razer Carcharias Headset

e have seen more than a few headphones over the last few issues. This is a market that is certainly very hotly contested at the moment, and it doesn’t look like there will be any abatement in that within the foreseeable future. In fact, with new products and ranges announced all the time, it looks likely to get even hotter. And yet, within a market that is becoming increasingly populated with virtual surround sound and super-fine trimming capabilities, the presence of the good old stereo headset is still strong. Take the Razer Carcharias as an example. Last month we looked at its bigger brother, the Megalodon, which had all the features you could wish for, including volume adjustments on individual positional audio channels. The Carcharias, by contrast, is a stereo headset. It looks very similar to the Megalodon, when all is said and done, featuring the same large, foam lined ear cups and positionable boom mic. The head band is the same, too, as well as numerous other construction elements. It also uses 40mm drivers, and delivers a similar sound quality, albeit in less channels. Lookswise, the thing that is missing here is the Megalodon’s massive volume control and the USB plug. Instead, the Carcharias has a more sensibly sized in-line control, and connects to the PC (or whatever else you are using it with) by way of two 3.5mm jacks. And it is those jacks – as well as the fact that this is a stereo headset, to a degree- that mark a major difference in the two models. See, the Megalodon is almost completely aimed at PC gamers, thanks to the USB interface and positional audio. Sure, you can use it to watch movies and listen to music, too, but those need to be on the PC. The Carcharias, by contrast, will work with anything that handles a 3.5mm jack – this includes MP3 players, handheld gaming devices and a number of other things. The fact that it has two jacks – one for audio and one for the mic – implies a strong PC connection, but the more versatile nature of this headset is undeniable. It is even more versatile than the Razer Electra (which we also looked at last month) because it has that PC friendly microphone. In all honesty, the three Razer headsets have been positioned to appeal at different markets, and they all fill their respective gaps rather nicely, offering good audio and comfort, which are essential for headsets. But the Carcharias feels like a more well-rounded contender, less focussed and more capable of multiple functions than the Megalodon, and more tech oriented than the almost casual Electra. And, naturally, it offers the sturdy build and great performance one expects from a Razer product. g

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A headset for almost everyone

Any Time, A

Anywhere…

by Walt Pretorius

Summary

Tech Specs: • • • • • •

Less focussed than the Megalodon and more ‘serious’ than the Electra, the Carcharias is a great all-round headset.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.c o.za A pprox. R950

Pros • • • • • gladget27

Good versatility Great audio Comfortable

40mm drivers Stereo In-line volume controls Positionable mic Noise filtering 2 x 3.5mm jacks

Cons • • • • •

None

Score

86 35

Great for tech-savvy home users

Belkin Smart TV Link 4 Port Router

by Rob Edwards

B Review

elkin produces great router products… just check out last month’s review of the N600 Play if you want more evidence than my say so. And, with products like the Smart TV Link 4 Port, they also show an understanding of where modern trends are taking us. This dual band Wi-Fi router is designed specifically with home entertainment – including Smart TVs – in mind. It allows simultaneous 2.5GHz and 5GHz streaming, which makes it really quick and effective for gaming and video streaming. Aside from the Wi-Fi element, the device also allows for LAN cable connections, and is trimmed to deal with TVs, gaming consoles, Blu-ray players and media players. All in all, this is a really great solution for those that want to make the most of their home entertainment, and the easy set-up is a bonus that makes it even better. g

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Summary

Tech Specs: • • • • • •

If you want your home entertainment to be a bit more tech oriented, this router is a great connectivity option.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

B elkin Turdortec h www.tudortec h.c o.za A pprox. R1 700

Pros • • • • •

Easy to use Dual band Great performer

Dual band streaming Wi-Fi 4 LAN ports Push-button WPS

Cons • • • • •

None

Score

MSI R6670 MD1GD3 Graphics Card

Good performance from an older chipset

Almost Classic

by Walt Pretorius

S S

Summary

Tech Specs:

It might be a generation or so old, but it still does the job.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Capable Affordable

Radeon R6670 chipset 1GB DDR3 RAM HMDI output DVI-D output D-Sub output Afterburner software

M SI Pinna c le A fric a www.pinna c le.c o.za A pprox. R800

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Older chipset

Score

76 37

Review

lightly older graphics technology seems to be a bit of a theme in this issue, but the MSI R6670 MD1GD3 is the only example that goes back a generation or so. Not that this will make a massively noticeable difference to anyone but those who are obsessive about frame rates and the like – in other words, hard-core gamers. What makes this card a great option is that it offers decent performance for a good price. It is reliable and effective. It won’t however, deliver the top notch performance that enthusiasts might want. With an older chipset and 1GB od DDR3 RAM, it’s performance simply cannot be expected to compete with more expensive graphics solutions. Still, as an all-rounder – particularly if the user isn’t after extreme performance – it is a viable and above all affordable option. If you’re not after a game changer, this card is a decent bet. g

Review

SteelSeries Sensei Raw Gaming Mouse

ast month we looked at the SteelSeries Sensei Pro Grade Gaming Mouse and, quite frankly, we really liked it. But the Sensei also comes with a hefty price tag, which can make that whole comfortable-and-effective thing seem a little less important. Thankfully, though, SteelSeries have produced a second Sensei Model, in the form of the StelSeries Sensei Raw and, as the name implies, it strips away some of the fancier elements of the Pro, providing the user with a similar experience at a lower price. Or does it? While stripping out some of the arguably unnecessary extra features makes for a good idea, the Raw does sacrifice one element that makes the Pro such a sensitive mouse… DCPI. DCPI is a system that doubles the number of counts per inch (CPI) that the mouse performs. Without going into painful detail, this basically refers to how often the mouse scans the surface it is working on, in order to translate the movement of the mouse onto the movement on the PC monitor. With DCPI, the Pro revs up to a massive 11 400 counts per inch. That’s double the standard 5 700 counts that it features in normal mode. The Raw doesn’t have DCPI technology, so it’s sensitivity tops out at 5 700 CPI. Let’s be a little realistic, though. If you’re a pro-gamer, that might make a difference. But the average joe, who wants their mouse for a host of tasks (including gaming) will likely do just fine with 5 700 CPI. It’s still, in broader terms, very sensitive. Other differences include the fact that the colour of the lights on the Pro can be fully customised, while the Raw features only white lights, that can be dimmed, set to pulsate, or turned off. Call me a pragmatist, but is the colour of the light on the mouse really that important, particularly if you can save a few bucks? Other than that, the Pro and Raw are virtually identical. They have the same button placements (for a total of eight buttons) are the same ambidextrous shape, and are equal in performance (provided that DCPI thing stays out of the picture.) In terms of comfort, the rubber-coated Raw is perhaps superior to the Pro, because the coating allows for a better grip overall. Just like the Pro, the Raw’s button placements are not bad, but may take a little getting used to – particularly those on the side away from the user’s thumb. On the whole, the price makes the Sensei Raw a very attractive option, even when compared to the Pro. If you’re after coloured lights and sensitivity that might even be considered overkill, the more expensive one is a better option. But you certainly won’t be selling yourself short by choosing the Raw. g

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by Rob Edwards

Less flash, same function

Black Belt

Summary

Tech Specs:

A better priced version of the Sensei Pro, with a few optional extras removed.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Nice surface Better price Ambidextrous

12 000 frames per second 5 700 counts per inch 8 buttons Ambidextrous 2m cable

SteelSeries M eg a rom www.meg a rom.c o.za R599

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

No DCPI

Score

89 39

by Alex Scanlon

Review

Razer Anansi MMO Gaming Keyboard

ne has to take a hat off to the fact that MMO games have managed to spawn a whole new range of hardware aimed at those addicted to the likes of World of WarCraft and Guild Wars. You very seldom find devices that are aimed at other specific genres. But, then again, it really shouldn’t be much of a surprise – the stereotypical MMO player spends a hell of a lot of time playing these games to get their fix, and their apparent obsession means that spending cash on such specialised items certainly wouldn’t be a problem for them. Not that the devices in question are exclusive to MMO gaming, of course; an MMO focussed mouse will work well with any other software, as will an MMO focussed keyboard. They just have that added level of customisable control that MMO players crave. Razer have two products that act in tandem to make an MMO player’s experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. When used together, the Naga mouse and Anansi keyboard deliver pretty much everything that a disciple of this gaming genre could want. But even on their own, these two add a lot of functionality to computer use as a whole. The Anansi makes use of the almost-standard Razer keyboard bells and whistles: an optimised key matrix for minimal ghosting, a set of easy access media keys, on the fly profile switching, backlit illumination that the user can adjust to their favourite colour and, least but not least, a gaming mode that disables the sometimes-annoying Windows key. And then they throw in the extras. The Anansi features five programmable macro keys, which can simplify complex tasks immensely. It also offers programmability of every key on the traditional 101 keyboard, and speeds that up with an extremely fast response time. And then, as if that wasn’t enough, it provides seven thumb keys which act as modifiers or ‘shift’ keys, meaning that the player has seven times the programmability available to them. It seems, initially, like overkill. No-one is ever going to need seven hundred programmed functions. But, realistically, it is a practical idea… the player may not use all the keys, but with the generous amount of modifiers, they can keep a large amount of functions easily accessible… in keyboard positioning terms, of course. As with almost every Razer product, the Anansi is solidly built and designed to look every bit a gaming keyboard. Although the edges and surfaces are mostly rounded, it still has a slightly aggressive feel to it, helped along by Razer’s customised (and sometimes difficult to recognise) font used on the keys. All in all, the Anansi is great to use, for MMOs and all other kinds of applications, too. Having options really works well here. g

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And a lot of them!

Options

Summary

Tech Specs:

As an MMO keyboard, the Razer Anansi offers the user a very wide range of programmable options.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

gladget27

Lots of options Well constructed Looks good

5 Macro keys 7 Modifier keys Gaming mode All keys programmable On the fly profile switching

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.c o.za R999.95

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Slightly intimidating at first

Score

86 41

Still

Review

MSI R7770 PMD1GD5 Graphics Card

s far as gamers are concerned, when it comes to graphics cards, price very often determines quality. But that isn’t necessarily true. Price is determined by specifications, and is really just a reflection of the technology built into the device, rather than a mark of whether that device is any good or not. And besides that, not every computer user plays games – but many non-gamers out there still need punchier graphics than they are going to get off of on-motherboard solutions. MSI, as a producer of all manner of PC components, have established a reputation for quality through their brand, rather than pricing, and offer a variety of solutions for people who don’t want to see the bank account broken with the purchase of a graphics card. Their R7770, for example, is a solid performer that, while it might not knock your socks off when running the latest games, will certainly do the trick for most every application out there that requires a bit more on the graphics side of things. The immediate reaction of enthusiasts is to decry a card like this because it uses ‘old technology’. The question, though, isn’t whether the technology is old, but whether it is still viable. This is a far more important consideration, particularly since the march of technology is so fast that we can barely keep up, whether from a timing, or a financial, point of view. We would spend more time upgrading than we did actually using the devices. With a still capable Radeon 7770 chipset and 1GB of GDDR5 RAM, this card still does the job rather nicely. And it’s pretty small, in comparison to some of the monstrous graphics cards out there. It makes use of MSI’s propeller blade technology in its cooling fan, and is partially encased. Sure, it might not blast along at a million frames a second, but the visuals provided by this card are more than decent. It is a little shy on the port side of things, though, with only one DVI-I, HDMI and DisplayPort on offer. Still, creative cable application will mean that multiple monitors are still an option here. And, as said before, it handles pretty much any graphics task with a fair amount of skill and grace, running quietly and at relatively low temperatures. A card like MSI’s R7770 makes quite a lot of sense these days, what with money matters being as they are in the world. It might not have all those bells and whistles that people leap at, but it does the job rather well, all things considered. And it will provide you with a decent graphics option at a much better price. g

gladget27

by Walt Pretorius

Old dogs and new tricks… Summary

Tech Specs:

It might not be the latest technology around, but this card still does the job rather nicely.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

gladget27

Good price Performs well Small size

Radeon 7770 chipset 1GB GDDR5 RAM 1x DVI-I port 1x HDMI port 1x DisplayPort Afterburner software

M SI Pinna c le A fric a www.pinna c le.c o.za A pprox. R1 699

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

May struggle with newer high-end applications

Score

80 43

Quiet Revo

Review

Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4525 DNF Printer

The printer industry has changed its tune

gladget27

olution

by Rob Edwards

F F

or many years the manufacturers of printers have worked on convincing pope – particularly people who make printing decisions for companies – that laser printers are the way to go. It had lots to do with print quality and the longevity of printed matter, among other things. This left ink jet printers in the shadows, relegated to the realms of personal printing solutions and generally looked upon as secondary citizen of the printing world. The latest trend, though, is to do something of an about turn and tell people – including those business printing types – that the future actually lies in ink jet. It’s almost indicative of a real world political revolution, where the ink jet masses are attempting to over-throw the laser elite. Epson’s entrant in this ‘fight’ (which includes a number of other manufacturers, including HP) is the Workforce range of printers. As the name implies, these printers are built for the workplace, rather than being aimed at private users. The result is one of the most obvious features of the Workforce range; they’re big. The Workforce Pro WP-4525 DNF is no exception. It is a physically large device, and weighs in at a rather chunky 13.8kg. It will take up a bit of room, unlike some of the other, sleeker printers we have seen recently. But, in an office environment, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And the Workforce Pro WP-4525 is built for offices. To this end, it is an effective workhorse that produces good quality prints quickly and efficiently. Part of this efficiency comes from the ink jet technology itself. While no printer s really cheap to run, ink jet printers – particularly those that use multiple ink cartridges, like this one – do tend to be a lot cheaper than laser printers. Multi-cartridge printers are actually cheaper than single cartridge solutions, too, because the user will discard less unused ink when replacing only the colours that need refilling. And with new technology having gone into the inks themselves, the switch is something of a no-brainer for savvy business people. The WP-4525 is a good small business solution, because it offers scanning, copying and faxing in addition to printing. That may even work well for larger enterprises, too. Unfortunately, Wi-Fi connectivity is absent in this model, but many still prefer LAN and USB connections, and this device offers both. In addition to a fairly large paper capacity, decent ink economy and a maximum duty cycle of around 20 000 pages a month, the WP-4525 also keeps things simple, with an interface that eschews the flashy touch screen in favour of more traditional buttons for control. That keeps it friendlier for an environment where a variety of people may be using the device. Overall, a solid work place printing, scanning, faxing and copying solution. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

A true office worker, this printer favour efficiency and simplicity over fancy gadgets and features.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

gladget27

Well built Decent speed Good print quality

Multi-cartridge system Scan Print Copy Fax LAN connection A4 printer

Epson Epson www.epson.c om A pprox. R3 299

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

No Wi-Fi

Score

80 45

Book Bag Belkin Pleated Sleeve for Kindle

Keeping it safe!

by Walt Pretorius

s Review

o you got a Kindle for Christmas? Then you’ll want to look after it. These great e-book readers are becoming more and more common, but keeping them in good order is still a great idea. Belkin has a solution for you. The Pleated Sleeve for Kindle offers a good option for keeping your Kindle safe, while the wide variety of colours means that you can still express your individual style. Made of neoprene, the Pleased Sleeve is a durable and lightweight protector. It features a reinforced panel to protect the screen, and the pleated design means that it will expand to easily accommodate all your accessories, too. The inside features a soft, quilted lining to make sure that maximum protection is afforded to not only the screen, but to the device as a whole. It’s a good idea for keeping your Kindle safe… if you weren’t lucky enough to get one with your Kindle, you should seriously consider getting one right away. g

gladget27

Summary

Tech Specs:

If you’re looking for a way to keep you Kindle safe, look no further – this Belkin option is sensible and versatile.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

Lots of colours Quality Material Offers good protection

Neoprene outer Quilted interior Pleated for expansion Reinforced panel Hand washable

B elkin Turdortec h www.tudortec h.c o.za A pprox. R500

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • •

A hard case may be better?

Score

The Flip Side Razer Vespula Dual Sided Gaming Mouse Mat

Two surfaces for maximum performance by Alex Scanlon

A A

Summary

Tech Specs:

Two mouse surfaces for every need and preference...

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

gladget24

Solid mouse pad Easy to switch Great surfaces

Speed surface Precision surface Non-slip pad Gel-filled wrist rest

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.c o.za R349

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Non-removable wrist rest

Score

78 47

Review

decent mousing surface is something that isn’t always considered. But a good surface to use a mouse on improves the performance of the mouse, simply because these surfaces are designed purely for that purpose. The Razer Vespula allows the user to make use of two surfaces – one made for fast mouse movement, and one made for precise mouse performance. The surfaces are on alternate sides of the generously sized Vespula, which is held in place by a nonslip rubber mat that sits underneath it. Changing surfaces is merely a matter of flipping the main pad over. The rubber mat is also fitted with a gel-filled wrist rest, which is fine if you like that kind of thing. But the wrist rest cannot be removed, and without the matt the pad moves around. Still, you can always make a plan, and the surface performance of the Vespula is worth it. g

Feature

The Wii U leads the ‘next console’ race…

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T by Walt Pretorius

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he Wii U arrived right at the end of November, 2012, amid less fanfare than was expected with such an important gaming event. Love Nintendo or not, the release of a new console is always important news, and the arrival of the first console of the expected new generation – before official announcements have been made by Nintendo’s competitors – demands attention. Still, the expected press furore was decidedly downplayed. The Wii U arrived earlier than in Europe and other territories, and (somewhat surprisingly) negative press bubbled along in its wake – despite the fact that it sold better than expected in the US in that initial time. In fact, sales of the Wii U were pretty much of the “sold out” level shortly after the US launch. The negative publicity, which revolved mainly around pricing and the rumour of a very large download to get the system up to dated, still didn’t damped the device’s performance, though: within four weeks of the US release, the unit sold almost two million units worldwide. As far as the bad press goes… well, yes, the Wii U is an expensive unit. Three varieties are available in South Africa, ranging from R3 999 to R4 999 at the time of writing. These different options include various bundled items, as well as differing hardware specifications. Aggressive competition from Microsoft and Sony have also made the Wii U appear pricey, when specs between the Wii U and other, older consoles are compared. The Wii U doesn’t have specifications that are very different from the Xbox 360 and PS3, putting the device on a definite back foot when Microsoft and Sony release their new consoles. However, certain concepts used by the Wii U make it stand out – but we’ll get to those later. As far as the upgrade is concerned, yes, there is a fairly large download required when first connecting the Wii U to the Internet. But this update is chiefly required for making use of Nintendo’s new online services, rather than being essential for gaming. The Wii U will play games right out of the box, no download required. There are some that may doubt the success of the unit, when considering sales over the 2012 Festive Season. But, if trends are anything to go by, it seems that the Wii U is performing very similarly to the 3DS and older DS. With sales of just under a quarter of a million units a week, the Wii U is apparently following in these handheld consoles’ footsteps. The DS averaged 264

Feature

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298 units a week over its first 95 weeks (for a total of 25 108 337) while the 3DS sold an average of 265 722 units a week over a similar time period (for a 95 week total of 25 243 576 units sold.) Even the Wii enjoys similar tends – it outsold the Wii U during the first four weeks of the Wii U’s release by almost 200 000 units. With that in mind, it is far too early to realistically call the Wii U a success or a failure. But the trends do look promising and, hopefully, third party game developers (on whom the unit will be very dependant, as with any video game console) will pay attention to past and present buying trends when they decide how much support to give the new Nintendo console. That support will play a major role in the Wii U’s long term performance. But enough of the theories, light analysis and predictions; let’s talk about the Wii U itself. For purposes of this feature review, we had a look at the R3 999 Basic Pack. This is the most basic, and cheapest of the Wii U range, with the more expensive models including more peripherals and bundled games. In the Basic Pack box, though, you will get what you need to play.. well, almost. The box contains a console, gamepad controller, two power cables and converters and an HDMI cable. What it doesn’t include – and you may well need for gaming, particularly in terms of multiplayer gaming – is a Wii sensor bar and Wii remotes. If you have a Wii already, that’s fine and well. You will have the remotes and the sensor bar. If you don’t though, you will need to make additional purchases. At the core of the Wii U concept is the game pad, which allows the player an extra screen while playing certain games, and even allows for a very important multiplayer idea to be used in numerous games: asynchronous game play. This means that the players engaging in the multiplayer game can experience the same game in different ways… something which could prove to be a real gold mine for software developers. Even some of the launch titles make use of this idea rather effectively: be sure to check out our Wii U launch title reviews in this issue. The game pad has two analogue joysticks, a d-pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons and two triggers. Dominating the controller, which is quite large, is a 6.2 inch touch sensitive screen. This screen can be used with fingers, or with the stylus that slots into the back of the controller housing. The whole things is contoured and shaped for comfort, and fits well into the player’s hands.

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However, because of the touch screen, the player may need to move one of their hands off of the main controls from time to time. In addition, the game pad has a volume control, headphone jack, microphone and integrated front facing camera. Other control input systems include a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer, and the unit has an extension port build into its base. These allow for numerous other functions, both in-game and while using online features, to be implemented. The game pad acts ‘independently’ of the main console itself. By that we mean that it never plugs into the console by way of a cable – not even for charging. The pad connects to the console by way of a proprietary technology based on IEEE 802.11 wireless networking. This technology creates a stable link between the two devices, which need to be synchronised when the console is first powered up. The data transmission is instantaneous, both in terms of controller input and visuals. The game pad has an independent power source for charging, much like the charger used for the DS range. And that’s a good thing, because the battery life of the game pad could have been better. Still, as long as you have a power point nearby, you should be fine during protracted periods of gaming… as long as you don’t mind having the charging cable plugged in while you play. The console itself is a rather plain affair. The inconspicuous box has a slot for disks, a power and eject button, a synch button and two USB ports and an SD port hidden behind a panel on the front. On the back, the Wii U console has a further two USB ports, as well as connection points for AV output, HDMI, power source and the sensor bar. We found that the console was a little noisy while accessing information on game disks but, for the most part, proved effective, responsive and stable. In terms of controllers, the console can support one game pad and up to for Wii remotes, and is also compatible with peripherals like the Wii balance board. Using the Wii U is a simple affair. Using an interface based on the old Wii interface (which can be displayed on the TV screen or game pad, as the user wishes) the operating system uses an icon based display. Utilities and games are accessed with these icons. The time between hitting an icon and actually hitting the related game or software run is a little long, but this will likely be sorted with future updates. Utilities include numerous things, including parental controls and a

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handy activity monitor (great for parents who want to keep an eye on the kids’ gaming habits.) One of these utilities also activated the Wii U’s backward compatibility with Wii game titles. The player needs to activate the utility before playing Wii games – not ideal, but that’s the way it works. When it comes to playing games, the large game pad takes a bit of getting used to. But once you have it down, it can add a wonderful dimension to gaming. Again, check out our reviews in this issue, particularly of games already released on other platforms, to see how the game pad compares and possibly changes the experience. We put the Wii U through its paces with numerous games, including Mas Effect 3, Assassin’s Creed 3 and ZombiU. In terms of visuals, frame rates, sound and any other factor that games would be rated on, the Wii U performed very favourably compared to other consoles that are currently available. Sure, they are older consoles, but the ideas and core values of the Wii U translate wonderfully into reworked and newly designed games alike. It is extremely difficult to give a game console a rating, because the games themselves define so much of the experience. Without games, no console would be any good. While there are a fair amount of exciting titles already available for the Wii U, we will still refrain from assigning a score to it. However, we will round this article up with a conclusion: the Wii U is a good console. It allows for fresh ideas, which video gaming sorely needs, and it performs well in terms of control, visuals and sound. These are still early days, yes, but the console has a massive amount of potential. How this potential is realised will depend on public response, as well as the creativity of software developers – one will be spurred by the other. While the Wii U is an extremely worthwhile console to own and game on, there is still the matter of price. At the moment, the Wii U is expensive – that’s undeniable. But, once again looking at Nintendo’s track record, this pricing may change fairly soon. The company has historically been fairly aggressive in terms of competitive pricing and, if they stick with their habits, price drops on Wii U consoles may be something we’ll see in the near future. The Wii U is great fun for the whole family, and the concept of asynchronous gaming that it engenders is nothing short of marvellous. If it won’t break the bank, it really is a great option to consider.

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ZombiU

Dead is Dead And the dead are hungry…

by Walt Pretorius

player as a lone survivor of a terrible zombie apocalypse that has swept London. The primary objective is to survive as the madness unfolds around you. In fact, few games come as close to embodying the idea of survival horror as this one does these days. In ZombiU, your character is a normal person thrust into abnormal circumstances. And when they die, they die. There is no respawning, at least not in the traditional sense. In the normal single player game mode, whenever a character dies, the player will be given a new character that wakes up in the safe house that forms the player’s home base. The player won’t need to repeat the intro sequence over and over again (in which they find the safe house with their initial character) but the character will be reset. The safe house is run by The Prepper, and it allows the player to grab a breather and store equipment.

Review

hat would you do if you woke up, and the world had suddenly, inexplicably changed? The deserted streets play home to shambling dead who want nothing more than to turn you into one of them. The government has disappeared, law enforcement and the military have succumbed to the same dread malady that transforms its victims into savage, shambling zombies. The few humans who remain have been driven into hiding, and those that are still sane act with mistrust of their fellow survivors. What would you do? How long would you survive? Those are the principal questions at the core of ZombiU, a survival-horror launch title for the Wii U from Ubisoft Montpellier. Ubisoft came out strongly in support of the new Nintendo console, and ZombiU is the flagship of their effort-fleet. The game casts the

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But that’s as far as the safety goes – once the player leaves the safe house, all bets are off. And, in the case mentioned above, each new character – which are randomly generated and assigned to the player – starts from scratch. The story progress is not lost, but any skill upgrades are gone when the old character gets taken out by zombies. Weapon upgrades are also perpetual, and if those upgraded weapons are stored at the safe house, good for the new character. The likelihood, though, is that the previous character will have been using the weapons. That means they can be found on the body of the previous character. That’s all fine and well, but in this world, that character has now become a flesh-craving zombie… This is actually one of the creepier aspects of ZombiU, but is also a really cool idea. The higher the skill levels

of your previous character, and the further they got in the game, the tougher the zombie they will become. The player still has access to all that cool equipment but, quite realistically, they need to go fetch it. Braver players may want to take on the tougher single player game mode, too, in which dead is dead; if you die, you restart completely. One of the most important aspects to master in the single player game is the game pad. That may seem like an obvious statement, because it is the game’s main controller. But there is another aspect to the game pad that adds challenge to the game… and that’s the screen. See, while it displays the map and provides the player with radar and other upgrades that augment the game, the pad also serves as the player’s inventory. Whenever the player finds a lootable item, or wants to access

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around, if you’re feeling lazy or are restricted in your movement. Lastly, the pad’s screen allows for quick access to weapons – it features six quick-slots that can easily be accessed during play. Weapons can be upgraded as well, and there is a fair variety of them in the game – from the trusty cricket bat through to sniper rifles. Ammo, though, is scarce… as it should be in a game like this. Through the course of the potentially short (depending on how often you die) single player campaign, the player will visit several well-known areas in London, including the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. These areas are populated by enemies of varying difficulties and numbers. There is also loot to be found. When new characters enter the fray, these areas are potentially repopulated with loot and bad guys. Additionally, as new

Review

their backpack, everything is done via the game pad’s screen. The game doesn’t pause when you’re doing this, though, so the player will need to cast nervous glances at the TV screen from time to time to make sure that there isn’t a zombie sneaking up on them while they’re rummaging about in their belongings. Whenever the player accesses the game pad, the TV screen shows a third person view, rather than the normal first person. At least that makes it easier to spot the undead. The game pad also serves as a scanner in the game. Bu holding down the left shoulder button and moving the game pad around (actually, physically moving it around) the player can scan their surroundings, tagging undead, loot and other items of interest. You can also use the analogue sticks to move the game pad view

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equipment and pad abilities are unlocked, these areas can be revisited to find new stuff. ZombiU isn’t the prettiest game when it comes to graphics, but the overall atmosphere – the creepy surroundings, the quietly shuffling zombies and the general lack of any sound other than atmospheric sound effects – is excellent. The game will get you tense, without a doubt, with every aspect of the game carefully weighed to provide the player with a good balance of frights and general tension. The story, steeped in British history, is fairly good, too, with an ending that isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion. In addition to the single player mode - which is well worth experiencing – the player can also take on a friend in a rather fun, asynchronous multiplayer game. There are three game modes, but they pretty much all come down

to one player fighting zombies with either the Wii U’s pro controller or a Wii remote and nunchuk combo, while the other player controls the zombies using the Wii U game pad. They’re not very deep, but they are a lot of fun to play. When you put it all together, ZombiU is not only a great survival horror game in which character death is something of an inevitability, possessed of a unique approach and a few great ideas. It is also a very good Wii U launch title, showing quite clearly that this new Nintendo console is not just meant for kids and casual players. While there is room for improvement (which we hope to see in a sequel) ZombiU is one of the better titles that accompanied the WiiU’s launch. It is accessible, yet challenging, and should prove to be a real treat for horror aficionados and zombie fans. g

AT A GLANCE: Survival-horror

Reviewed on:

With a few great new ideas, ZombiU is one of the better Wii U launch titles, and one of the better horror games of 2012. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Resident Evil, Dead Island Local

Network

Online

Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Parental Advisory

18+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii U Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

88 59

Rabbids Land

Danger Games The Rabbids take overâ&#x20AC;Ś again!

by Walt Pretorius

a party game that is as irreverent as it is hilarious: Rabbids Land. Yes, the Rabbids, with their googly-eyes and crazy antics are back, this time in full HD. The premise is simple â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Rabbids have taken over a theme park that they were previously refused entry too, and are now making use of the various attractions to compete in a game. The attractions form the numerous, often zany, mini-games to be found in Rabbids Land, while everything is tied together with a board-game style concept. The players move their Rabbids around the board and get penalties and bonuses, as well as participate in mini-games, in a bid to win. While up to four players can take on a game at a time, only two will ever compete with each other in the various mini-games. These two players consist of the

Review

hen a console is considered casual, it becomes a playground for developers who want to revel in the party game genre. These games are less popular on the PS3 and Xbox 360 than they are on the Wii, maybe because they appeal to the kind of market who would be more prone to purchase Nintendoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decidedly more casual console. But the Wii U is here now, and it has much more hard-core appeal than the original Wii. That said, it is more of a bridge-gapper than a full-blown hardcore device, and for that reason party games are still going to be popular for this particular platform. The Wii U will still have many casual adherents. Ubisoft came out very strongly in support of the Wii U, and among their numerous launch titles is

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player who originated the randomised game by landing on a square, and one other player selected at random. One player will use the game pad, and the other a Wii remote, either with or without a nunchuk attachment. This means that it can be enjoyed with maximum players, even if you only have one Wii remote. The mini-games are varied and tend to make use of all different kinds of game pad control ideas, from the stylus through to the gyroscope and microphone. The implementation of the game pad’s functionalities is fairly well done, although nothing will really take the player by surprise. As a whole, there is nothing truly revolutionary here, but Rabbids Land is not about changing things. It is about providing a group of players with tons of crazy fun, which it does beautifully. Whether it be blowing up ships with breath-powered

penguins or trying to rescue crates of fireworks from Rabbids with arsonist tendencies, the variety in the mini-games and the overall irreverent – even cruel – humour inherent in the title makes it very enjoyable. Rabbids Land is not out to redefine genres, nor is it out to make any grand, sweeping gestures. It is there for fun, and as a result, it doesn’t tend towards much depth. As a single player game it gets extremely frustrating, with the AI often outpacing the player in the mini-games. But as a party game – as it was intended – it really is fun, as long as you don’t expect any kind of earth-moving experiences. It is good fun for family and friends with a competitive edge, and the decent graphics and sometimes strange concepts that the game introduces make for an entertaining session of party gaming. g

AT A GLANCE: Party

Reviewed on:

Wii U

A fun party game that may not have the most mini-games, but is still hilarious fun. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Nintendo Land, Mario Party Local

Network

Online

Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Parental Advisory

7+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

70 61

Assassins Creed III

Assassins are Assassins No matter which platform they’re on

by Pippa Tshabalala

story is gripping, the graphics are incredibly pretty, and overall the game scores top marks for being one of the better releases of 2012’ even with the small complaints that accompanied the reviews. So how does the Wii U version fare against the others? Assassins Creed 3 on the Wii U is Assassins Creed 3. Period. With some additional if not entirely innovative features thrown in. There is not a feature missing, and Ubisoft appear to have made every effort to ensure an equal experience across multiple platforms, not skimping on Nintendo’s new baby as other developers may have done. It’s not just the single player experience that matches up either – from what I can see multiplayer is also exactly the same although granted I have heard reports of empty servers, but the capability is fully functional nonetheless.

Review

here can be no doubt that many of us loved Assassins Creed 3 and as with any port, especially with Nintendo’s history, I approached the Wii U version with a certain amount of trepidation unrelated to the game itself and more to the anxiety I felt that the game pad would disappoint. In the short time I’ve known it I’ve come to love the Wii U and didn’t want to see it fail. Luckily for me that’s not the case, and here’s why. I’ve never made any secret that I was not a fan of the Assassins Creed franchise after Assassins Creed 2 – somehow I managed to lose momentum after that, and could never maintain my interest in the story. Assassins Creed 3 however, renewed both my interest in the storyline as well as in the gameplay where, despite its niggling bugs, it managed to make huge strides forward. The gameplay (across platforms) is innovative, the

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And then there are the Wii U exclusive features, designed specifically to benefit the game pad. The map on the game pad makes searching for missions one heck of a lot easier. Switching between inventory items is also improved on the Wii U as you can whistle for your horse without having to change up any of Connor’s weapon slots, a huge bonus if you’re like me and don’t like fiddling around with weapons all the time. The menu interface on the game pad is also intuitive and the flow between the touchscreen and the concept of the Animus is flawless. It does have its problems mind you, which include some somewhat weird looking textures at times and a few additional bugs here and there, but on the whole the game is almost indiscernible from its “big boy” console brothers. The major noticeable difference is the fact that in more demanding areas the frame rate drops a bit, something

that will have purists up in arms, and is indeed a mild irritation, but nothing that will bother most people too much. Cut scenes also occasionally suffer from this malady and I hope that these are merely teething issues for the console. Honestly I feel that Ubisoft could have made better use of the game pad, but this seems to be a common criticism of mine for these initial cross platform release titles. It appears to only be titles that have been designed specifically for the Wii U that are taking huge strides forward in this department and as such I don’t feel I can be too critical here. The fact that I actually enjoyed playing Assassins Creed 3 on this console to me demonstrates that while it might not be perfect, there is no real difference between versions of the game. g

AT A GLANCE: Action Adventure

Reviewed on:

Assassins Creed 3 is a brilliant game no matter which platform you buy it for. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Red Dead Redemption, Assassins Creed 2 Local

Network

Online

Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Parental Advisory

18+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii U Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

87 63

New Super Mario Bros. U

Join the Fun! Your favourite plumbers are at it again!

by Suvesh Arumugam

and use mini-portals to access each level, where they pit their skills against the side scrolling challenges. There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t many new improvements in this aspect, though a new acorn pickup does kit Mario or Luigi out with a nifty flying squirrel suit that allows either of them to glide after jumps, and also hang on the sides of walls. There are additional powers for the Yoshi and mushroom abilities. Story mode allows up to four players, which can be a little confusing, but is a whole lot of fun. There are two new single and multiplayer games modes called Challenge Mode and Boost Mode. Challenge mode is a race to collect as many coins and special tokens as possible. There are also a host of skill challenges like collecting tokens without touching the ground or earn extra lives. Boost mode is a multiplayer

Review

s far as platform games go, Mario Bros has always stood out as one of the top selling and most addictive franchises. From humble origins, Nintendo has released at least one Mario title on each and every one of its video game and handheld consoles, and every one has been a success. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an amazing achievement, considering that the characters and storyline havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t changed much over the years. The secret is a delightful blend of simple, compelling, cute and challenge, that makes Mario pretty much ideal for all occasions. This game is basically a reiteration of the Wii version of New Super Mario Bros. Like its predecessors, the story mode centres on the moustachioed siblings trying to find their way to Princess Peach. Players start in world map view,

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mode, where players on WiiMotes play the level, while the player holding the gamepad helps out by placing blocks to assist in jumps (or to prevent falls) and can also help out in other ways, like popping their bubbles after re-spawning. There were a few points that I felt were less than awesome, so let’s get those out of the way. Firstly, I found it confusing that the gamepad can’t be used for multiplayer modes, except for Boost Mode. Whether it would be an unfair advantage for the gamepad user, or just too much for the tablet screen to handle, is anyone’s guess. It makes no sense, and is pretty inconvenient if you don’t have many controllers (you can’t use the Wii Pro Controller either). My second gripe is that I would have loved for them to make better use of the gamepad itself, and the two-screen

concept. I love how games like Nintendoland use the multiplayer concept cleverly by using multiple screens to provide for different views (and experiences) to each player. Nintendo could be saving more for the next Mario Party, but I think they could have done more to utilise the gamepad’s abilities. At the end of the day, Mario Bros is a best selling franchise for a reason. You’d be hard pressed to find any casual or hard-core gamer who would turn down a go. It just has all the elements for an entertaining gaming session. While the multiplayer component may be weak, it does just enough to make it fun. Once you own a Wii U, a decent Mario Bros title is just a must have (as the cornerstone of the Nintendo experience) and New Super Mario Bros. is a great title to have on the shelf to pick up and play. g

AT A GLANCE: Platform

Reviewed on:

Wii U

Start your quest (or join your friends) in the classic quest to save the princess in a variety of game modes. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Nintendo Land Local

Network

Online

Nintendo Nintendo Core Group

Parental Advisory

3+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

79 65

Mass Effect 3: Special Edition

Mass Effect Crescendo It rhymes with Nintendo

by Pippa Tshabalala

intuitively upgrade your companionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; skills, or the map indicating enemies, but for large amounts of time the screen merely stays on the logo with little or no ability to interact if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing as most people would with the TV as the primary viewing screen. On the plus side you can play the game exclusively on the game pad if someone inconsiderate is hogging the TV, but to truly experience the game this is something that really should be more of a compromise as opposed to the norm. Even integrated dialogue options on the game pad would have been nice, but sadly at this stage it remains merely a controller and not an integral part of the gameplay. This does not lessen the enjoyment of the game however, but it is slightly disappointing overall. This is the Mass Effect 3: Special Edition however,

Review

personally loved Mass Effect 3, even with the disappointing ending. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also always been quite specific about playing it on PC as I preferred the control system to that over a console. What does this mean then for the Mass Effect 3: Special Edition on the Wii U? Does the game pad introduce a slew of new features or is this something better left where it was? Actually I was quite surprised by the Wii U version. Not only is the visual quality incredible, with little to no frame rate lag at any given point, but the use of the gamepad is nicely integrated into the overall mechanic of the gameplay, if not entirely innovative. Sadly the potential of the game pad is sorely underutilised as Mass Effect 3 introduces some great new features, such as the use of the game pad to

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and don’t be fooled into thinking it is merely named as such for its Wii U release. It comes with a large chunk of the free DLC offered for the other platforms. What is interesting however, is how the developers have handled the lack of back story on the Wii U. None of the other Mass Effect games were ever released on this platform, and so there is no option to import your character from your previous games in order to retain continuity. On some levels I liked this – it meant that I had to start again and explore different options because either I couldn’t remember what I had chosen the first time I played the game, or else I was emotionally attached to characters and didn’t want to hurt their metaphorical feelings. It meant that I could explore additional relationships, Renegade/Paragon options and so forth without feeling a sense of guilt.

The introduction is done by means of a beautifully illustrated interactive comic at the beginning of the game and provides a thorough summary of the Mass Effect narrative. My only gripe there is that it is unskippable. This is something I abhor in general, and in this case I actually know the story and really just wanted to skip through to the decision making bits. You can’t. Twenty minutes later and I finally hit the first cutscene of Mass Effect 3. The release of Mass Effect 3 on the WiiU is really only an attempt to bring this wonderful franchise to Nintendo owners. There is nothing much added to the experience, especially if you’ve already played the game on PC or Xbox. If however, you’ve never had the pleasure, this is definitely a good alternative. The game is as brilliant and beautiful as ever and loses nothing in this port. g

AT A GLANCE: Action RPG

Reviewed on:

Wii U

Still the Mass Effect you know and love, introduced to a new audience. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect Local

Network

Online

Bioware Electronic Arts EA South Africa

Parental Advisory

18+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

86 67

Tekken Tag Tournament 2

We are Tekken Fight your way to the top!

by Suvesh Arumugam

like Virtua Fighter are all pretty much on a shelf in the big video game museum in the sky. The latest Tekken is a sterling example of why the series continues to dominate the fighter genre and generates so much excitement with each release. Although the main difference between Tekken and Tekken Tag is the ability to fight in tag teams, you can still pretty much get the same Tekken experience, though this time with up to four players. Tekken Tag also takes to the net, with an all new online mode. Perhaps because I wasn’t expecting an all-new Tekken, but a revamp of Tekken 6, I wasn’t disappointed. Despite there being very few new moves and combos, and no new characters being introduced, I was still pretty addicted from the first punch. One of the main reasons I’ll play the game over and over is to unlock each character’s

Review

can measure the passage of time by where I was and what I was doing when each instalment of the Tekken series was released. I played the original Tekken on an arcade machine in Rosebank (at a rather suspect diner) and spent several hours (and more than a few coins) on clocking the game with as many characters as I could. Tekken 2 was the third title I bought on PlayStation (PSOne). I distinctly remember buying Tekken 6 with my nephew somewhere around December 2009, and no other game was played for at least two months thereafter. I missed the first Tekken Tag title on console, though I did give it a good bash in the arcade version, at a neon-lit bowling alley. Many of Tekken’s competitors in the fighter genre have now fallen by the wayside. Aside from Mortal Kombat, Dead or Alive and Street Fighter (still going strong), titles

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ending, and the new game does not skimp on original (and surprisingly long) endings in variety of animation styles and particular to each character’s place in the Tekken mythology. There are a few new tag-throws and combos, with a new “rage” setting, which seems a little random, rather than a meter which is actively built up with combos. I also really enjoyed going through the Fight Lab, learning how to land more devastating combos and fight against different techniques with counter attacks and throws. Another great feature, specifically for the Wii U release, is Mushroom Battle. Similar to a normal Arcade or Versus match, different coloured mushrooms sprout up from the ground (or fall from the sky) that can either make your character grow to enormous size or shrink (a la Mario Bros.). Wii U players are also treated to Tekken Ball (last seen in Tekken 3), which will provide a few light-hearted

rounds in between the serious competition. Add that to being able to dress Heihachi like Mario, and you have a sure winner! The Tekken game engine is one of the best, so there’s not much to say except that it’s excellent, as always. I’ll admit that I was a little disappointed by the lack of unlockable content, but on the whole this is still a musthave game for casual and serious gamers. There is never an inappropriate moment to whip it out and challenge whoever is around, or yourself. For the more serious Tekken addicts, you can also earn Tekken cash and use that to customize your fighters with awesome (and exclusive) Nintendo character costumes from other franchises aside from Mario Bros. And 10 points if you spot rapper Snoop Dogg making an appearance. g

AT A GLANCE: Fighting

Reviewed on:

Wii U

The legendary fighter is back with its latest offering. Dazzling combos, all your favourite characters and up to 4 player tag battles. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Dead or Alive, Street Fighter Local

Network

Online

Namco Bandai Namco Bandai Megarom

Parental Advisory

16+ gladget27

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

88 69

DVD Seen

DVD S

Movie of the month 70

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SEEN The Dark Knight Rises There have been many attempts to bringing an excellent series of Batman movies to audiences, but these have always been a mixed bag. But now, with the culmination of director Christopher Nolan’s three Batman films, all staring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight, one can safely say that Nolan has created the definitive cinematic Batman trilogy. It is also, sadly, the last Batman movie we can expect from Bale and Nolan, despite the fact that it strongly hints at future projects and even introduces new characters (like a hinted Robin and Catwoman, played by the sultry Anne Hathaway). As the crowning achievement in Nolan’s Batman saga, The Dark Knight Rises is excellent. It brings elements explored in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight together beautifully, creating a finale that is powerful, epic and rather grand. Other exemplary cast members include Gary Oldman, reprising his role as Commissioner Gordon, and Tom Hardy, who almost steals the show as the brutal and deadly villain, Bane. The Dark Knight Rises shows that super hero movies don’t need to be anything but brilliant. While we have seen a spate of really good films of this kind recently (including the likes of the Iron Man movies and The Avengers) this particular film has a serious tone and dark notes that set it apart. It really is excellent, and deserves to be part of any serious film lover’s collection. g

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DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: 13MV Score

STARRING: Christian Bale Gary Oldman Tom Hardy

90 71

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Vanishing on 7th Street

It’s funny how a single cast member can bring an entire film down. The film in question is Boy Wonder, and the cast member is the female lead, Colombian born Zulay Henao. While other cast members come across as believable and even convincing at times, her performance is flat, lifeless and forced. Which is a pity, because Boy Wonder could have benefitted from a lead actress that had as much acting ability as good looks. The film tells the tale of a shy and retiring teenager who was traumatised by seeing his mother killed during a hijacking many years before. His response is to lash out, becoming a vicious vigilante. With the cops on his tail, he finds perpetrators of random crimes and acts of cruelty and exacts vengeance upon them, while struggling with deep seated issues and repressed memories. Not the most original stuff, and certainly not the best vigilante movie around, but Boy Wonder tells a fairly decent tale. Perhaps some changes to the cast and a tighter approach to direction could have elevated this one above B grade. As it stands, though, no such luck... g

DIRECTOR:

Michael Morrissey

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16VL Score

STARRING: Caleb Steinmeyer Zulay Henao Bill Sage

When I was handed this DVD and saw a cast including Hayden Christensen, Thandie Newton, John Leguizamo and directed by Brad Anderson, I thought I was in for a treat, perhaps even another “I Am Legend” treat. I thought ok, this is a decent cast and intriguing concept. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a good apocalypse theme, with shadows sucking up the light and all the people it comes into contact with. I will say this: this movie started out with all its potential raring to go! I was intrigued when Luke (Hyden Christensen) walks out of his building one very quiet morning to find that everyone has disappeared, leaving behind the remains of their clothing… But beyond those first few scenes we went from intriguing to thinking about cleaning out the kitty box. This plot was weak, the script was clichéd and not much was offered in terms of dot connecting. Wow, was I disappointed! I mean seriously, if I paid for this DVD I would have felt completely robbed… and if I was being robbed I would have gladly handed this one over to whoever was robbing me and that would have been a bonus, seeing that whoever it was that robbed me would have also have had their time wasted. This movie’s concept had such potential to be an awesome horror thriller in the making and it was butchered… did I mention, just like my time was? I could mention spoilers but really there aren’t any. g

STARRING: Hayden Christensen Thandie Newton John Leguizamo

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DIRECTOR: Brad Anderson

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 13 Score

Boy Wonder

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Mirror Mirror

A fascinating tale based on a true story about Gabriel (Lou Taylor Pucci), a young musician who only seems capable of dealing with short term memories after the removal of a brain tumour. Living in a state of past stagnation and unable to process any long term memories, his reaction to his loved ones have left them feeling frustrated and hopeless. Oblivious to his present day reality, he only becomes responsive when music therapist Dianne Daley (Julia Ormond) stumbles upon an associative reaction to triggering long term memories while listening to his once-upon-a-time favourite vinyl records. This is a touching story revolving around the relationships of the people around the young man, who can only act “normally” when the room is filled with his favourite music. His most intimate of relationships is that with his devastated father Henry, (played by an inspiring J.K. Simmons ) who, through his son’s therapy, learns some valuable life lessons of his own. As touching as this concept is, it had a lot more potential to shine and, unfortunately, as a whole it lacked the feeling of substance that a story such as this could have portrayed and deserved; but nevertheless if you are in the mood for being touched, it is certainly worth the watch. g

DIRECTOR: Jim Kohlberg DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 13PG Score

STARRING: Lou Taylor Pucci J.K. Simmons Julia Ormond

Mirror mirror on the wall, which version of Snow White is the most charming of all? Among the many collections of German folklore, Snow White (Schneewittchen) has been one of the popular stories since first published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. As much as we all know how the story ends, the kid in us is always intrigued by a new execution of how the story teller portrays his version of the story. Mirror Mirror was filmed in Montreal and Quebec. Director Tarsem Singh most certainly brings a unique flavour of fantasy, humour and a touch of bubbling Bollywood influence (the man just couldn’t help himself) to a beloved fairy-tale that has enchanted readers since the eighteen-hundreds. In this case, Tarsem, with a distinguished cast including Julia Roberts (who pretty much steels the show), Lily Collins (who intrigues her viewers with her enchanting performance), Nathan Lane (who is hilarious just looking at him) the good looking prince Armie Hammer and Sean Bean (who makes a small yet strong appearance) spin a sweet romantic comedy fantasy. Puritans may have an issue as Tarsem does not follow the Snow White story line as we know it, but he still comes out on top with an intriguing look at each of the characters, the architecture and the fantasy world. g

STARRING: Julia Roberts Lily Collins Armie Hammer

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DIRECTOR: Tarsem Singh DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: PG Score

The Music Never Stopped

80 73

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Magic Mike

If Jason Statham’s name appears in a cast list, you can pretty much be guaranteed of lots of action. And, quite often, excessive, over-the-top and even farfetched action. Safe falls into that category, although maybe not as much as truly unrealistic films like the Transporter series. In Safe, Statham is a marginally more believable tough guy, a capable combatant and not too bad on the acting side of things. When a MMA fighter fails to throw a fight, he falls out with the Russian mob, who do everything to turn his life into a living hell. Homeless and destitute, he finds a young Chinese girl running for her life in the New York subway. She is a genius with numbers, and has a code in her head that will unlock something very valuable… and the Russian and Chinese mob both want her. So he takes her under his wing, and takes on two very powerful and dangerous syndicates. While the film treads the line of implausibility, Safe is a good, mindless piece of action entertainment. It is not Statham’s best film by far, but it makes for a good popcorn-muncher. g

DIRECTOR: Boaz Yakin

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16LV Score

STARRING: Jason Statham Catherine Chan Chris Sarandon

Magic Mike is loosely based on Channing Tatum’s life as an exotic dancer, before he made it big in the movies. Yes, ladies, he was once a stripper, and he is once again in this film. Mike is an all-round good guy with a big heart, and big dreams. But before those dreams can become reality, he needs to pay the bills… and stripping at a male revue club pays really well. But his generally quiet life starts getting more complicated when he gives a young man a break and introduces him to the world of stripping. Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four) might take centre stage in this film, but Matthew McConaughey, who plays the club’s aging owner and once legendary male stripper, steals the show entirely. His performance is pitch-perfect, as can be expected from this industry veteran, and he isn’t shy about taking a few risks, either… Every time you think that Magic Mike is going to go somewhere significant or say something important, it doesn’t. That leaves it as a fairly light, entertaining film, with little more. Sure, there is lots of eye candy for the ladies, but this one offers little beyond the lightest of entertainment. Yet another inconsistent performance from director Steven Soderberg. g

STARRING: Channing Tatum Alex Pettyfer Matthew McConaughey

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DIRECTOR:

Steven Soderberg

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16LSND Score

Safe

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Catch .44

Just because you can make a movie, doesn’t mean you should. And if you decide to go ahead, you need to realise that modern, discerning film audiences need more than cute girls and cute guys telling a cute story in a cute way. Director Brian Brough didn’t get that when he made Scents and Sensibility. The film is so saccharine it is sickening. When their father is sent to prison over fraud, two young girls take it upon themselves to support the now destitute family. And there’s the first problem. The film takes most of its thankfully short 86 minute run to get to their solution, when the viewer blatantly gets given the answer five minutes in. So there’s that frustration. And then the film manages to create all these situations – the fraud conviction, betrayal, and so on – without ever injecting an ounce of gravitas into anything. It’s almost like “our lives are over, ok, cool, whatever, let’s have ice cream… hooray!” No, not every film needs to be serious, but this one feels like it was scripted by a particularly naïve 12 year old. Perhaps that is the film’s target audience. It is sweet and simple, which we will credit it with. g

DIRECTOR: Brian Brough DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: PG Score

STARRING: Ashley Williams Marla Sokoloff Nick Zano

Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis and Malin Akerman sound like a dream team when it comes to casting. And while Catch .44 has some really good moments, including some well written dialogue, it is quite apparent that writer-director Aaron Harvey is trying a little too hard to emulate Quentin Tarantino. And he misses that lofty goal in a few ways. When three female thugs are sent to do what appears to be a simple job, all hell breaks loose. The situation only gets worse when a mysterious hit man shows up, and the results are tense situations, Mexican standoffs and lots of gunfire. The fact that Catch .44 tries very hard to live up to Pulp Fiction is undeniable. There is even a bit of Reservoir Dogs in there, thanks to the monologue style diatribes that the characters launch into from time to time. And, like those two Tarantino classics, these speeches are almost unimportant, working to establish character rather than further the plot. But where Tarantino’s films succeed, Catch .44 feels like little more than a clone. Not that it’s an entirely bad film. In fact, Willis and Whitaker deliver excellent performances in this film, and the production is good overall. It just doesn’t quite live up to its lofty ideals. g

STARRING: Forest Whitaker Bruce Willis Malin Akerman

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DIRECTOR: Aaron Harvey DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16LNV Score

Scents and Sensibility

76 75

DVD Seen

DVD SEEN DVD S

Collectables 76

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SEEN DVD SEEN Papillon Originally released in 1973, Papillon stars Dustin Hoffman and the late Steve McQueen. The story is simply one of perseverance – two French criminals are sentenced to prison on an island off the coast of French Guyana. Louis Dega (Hoffman) is a master counterfeiter, and he aligns himself with Henri Charriere (McQueen), a man nicknamed “Papillon” for the butterfly tattoo on his chest. Papillon has been found guilty of murder in a sensational case, and Dega believes that the only way he will survive the terrible prison is with Papillon’s protection. But Charriere has other plans… he believes that he can do what no one has ever done before: escape. BY today’s standards, Papillon is not the shocking film it once was. Even five years later, Midnight Express would overshadow it in terms of prisonrelated shock value. But the shock isn’t the crux of this film. Rather, it is the absolute faith and perseverance that Papillon displays in making his plans come to fruition, and the fact that he never loses sight of his goal, even after some terrible experiences on the island. Papillon is still a powerful film forty years later, and speaks of a time when movies were more about plot and less about special effects. It allows the actors to display extraordinary talents, and is a true classic of the silver screen. g

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FPB Rating: DIRECTOR: Franklin J Schaffner TBC DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

Score

STARRING: Steve McQueen Dustin Hoffman Don Gordon

91 77

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